Method of making luggage framework



April 2, 1946 J. RlEss 2,397,506 METHOD 0F MAKING LUGGAGE lFRAMEWORK Filed Aug. 18, 1944 Patented Apr. 2, 1946 METHOD OF MAKING LUGGAGE FRAMEWORK John Riess, St. Louis, Mo., assgnor to Henry Hotze & Sons Company, a corporation of Missouri Application August 18, 1944, Serial No. 550,102

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a new method of making luggage frame work for h'and carried luggage or bags, from exible materials such as leather, to which the sections or sides of the luggage are attached and in fact it may be stated that the invention herein disclosed, goes t the method of constructing luggage, for when the method of making the frame Work thereof is carried out with the attached sides or sections, there but remains the completion of attaching the base or bottom of the luggage. g

The purpose of the invention therefore, is to eliminate the application and usel of metal frames for hand carried luggage and to build up a frame structure of flexible materials, from which the luggage sides are extended and which will retain its preformed shape during use of the luggage.

A further object is to provide a luggage frame of built-up flexible materials which includes the attaching of the adjacent extending marginal portions vof each side wall .or section of the luggage, of which there are two, in its build-up.

Another object is to provide an improved stiffener or frame structure for hand carried luggage whichv is built-up step-by-step, and slide fastener means for the luggage or bag sections.

Other objects and advantages will appear as this description progresses and by reference to the drawing in which:

Figure 1 isv a longitudinal sectional elevation taken through a form with a base strip temporarily secured thereto, showing a first step in carrying out this improved method.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional elevation approximately Aon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional elevation showing a second step of the method,

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional elevation showing a further step in carrying out the method.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional elevation showing an additional step of the method.

Figure 6 is an enlarged plan elevation of the opening sections IIJ, each of said sections at their lower ends being connected to a base structure II and at their meeting edges being secured by slide fastening means or zippers I2. l

In carrying out the method for constructing th'e luggage frame work, a relatively Wide and long strip I3fof flexible material such as leather is lsecured by tacking I4 or the like over the form 8 in luggage or bag after the improved method has the manner shown in Fig. 1 with its ends I5 extending Linder and engaging the lbottom surface I6 of the form, said strip I3 when secured to th'e form assuming the longitudinal shape of the required frame work to be made' into the shape of the luggage or bag. f The next or second step of this improved meth od is to engage and mount' the side Walls or sections ID over th'e walls I I of the form 8 `with their inner marginal portions I8 engagedV over the base strip I3 adjacent its side edges as shown in' Fig. 3 and in this,` position the marginal portions I8 of the bag side walls are secured to the base strip by the application of rubber cement or the like. The third step in carrying out the method isto provide a pair of relatively narrow exiblestrips I9 of the approximate length of the base strip I3 and to secure to each strip by cementn'g to adja cent under sides thereof, the cci-operating sections 20 of the slide fasteners I2 in the. manner In constructing luggage framework of thisr character a pair of slide fasteners I2 are used in th'e manner as shown in my accompanying application Ser. No. 550,103, filed Aug, 18, 1944, with the opening ends of the fasteners meeting intermediate the longitudinal length of the bag with the slide lugs 22 adjacent each other on the top of the bag or luggage as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6.

When securing the fasteners I2 to adjacent portions, of the pair of strips I9, it is preferable to do so while the fasteners are in closed forma tion, and after the cemented together parts have become set, the slide lugs 22 of the fasteners I2 are slid thereon to full open positions at the ends I5 of the base strip I3. The base strip I3 is then longitudinally split or cut by a sharp instrument the entire length thereof on the line 23 forming a pair of frame sections 24, as shown in Fig.

6 and the tacking I4 is removed from the base strip and the form 8. In the event headless tacks are used for securing the base strip I3'to the form 8 each` section 24 of the frame work may be pulled from the tacking I4 and the tacking subsequently pulled from the form.

For further securingV the parts of the frame work sections 24 Vtogether after their removal from the forni 8, stitching 25 is made longitudithrough the fabric portions 2| of each co-operating part 28 of the respective fasteners I2 and ref spective severed parts of the basestrip I3. Other longitudinal stitching V2li is made through each strip I9, the marginal portion I8 of respective walls or sections Ill and through respective severed parts of the base strip I3.

The afore described method relating toV the preforming of the parts I3, marginal portions I8 of respective parts or sections I0, fasteners I2, theY twopair of strips I 9 and subsequent longitudinal stitching to the base strip I3, provides the Vframe section 24 for each bag section I0 and which frame sections 24 when secured to each other by the slide fasteners I2,' provides a frame structure for Yhand carried luggage and bags l nally on each strip I9, said stitching passing What I claim is: Y l. The method of making a luggageframe consisting of providing a form of a required shape, of temporarily securing a base strip of flexible material to the form, of securing marginal portions of a pair of opposed bag sections to said base strip, of securing a Vpair of longitudinally alined'slide fasteners to said base strip, and of securing respective flexible strips over portions of .said fasteners and said marginal portions of said bag sections.

' 'j 2. The method of making a luggage frame consisting of providing a form of a required shape, of temporarily securing a base strip of flexible material tothe form',rof securing ,marginal portions of a pair of opposed bag sections to said base strip,

which is sufliciently strong and durable for retaining its preformed shape during carrying use of the bag. Y

While it has been described in detail that the co-,opveratingvparts 28 of each fastener I2 are secured to respective strips I9 before said co-operating parts and strips are mounted and secured to the marginal'portions I8 and the base strip I3, it is neverthelesspossible to first secureeach of the Vcoyoperating` parts 20 of the fasteners I2 to the marginal portions I8 or the base strip I3 and afterwards ysecure thestrips I9 to the base strip and themarginal portions I8 of the bag sections After each bag section I8 has been provided with thisimproved frame section 24, the base structure II may then be formed and secured to the` said sections. V Y l VDuring longitudinal splitting or cutting of the base strip I3 .with the built-up parts thereon, before itsremoval from the formyB, care must be taken to prevent cutting or separating of Yrespective ends of the fasteners I2.

While I have described one embodiment of my invention with some particularity, obviously many other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art to Ywhich it appertains. I, therefore,'d'o not limit myself to the precise details dey scribed, but claim as my invention all variations and modifications coming within the scope of the subjoined claims.

fasteners to theV base strip and/or said bag sections, of securing respective flexible strips over portions of said fasteners and said bag sections, and of longitudinally separating the base strip, separating the base strip. Y I A 7 4. The method of making a luggage frame consisting of providing a form of a-required shape, Yof temporarily securing a base strip of flexible material to the'form, of securing marginal portions of a pair of opposed bag sections to said base strip, of-,securing apair of longitudinally alined fasteners Yto' the base stripV and/or said marginal portions of said bag sections, of secur-l ing respective exible strips over portions of said fasteners and said bag sections, of longitudinally separating the base strip, and of further securing vthe parts on each longitudinally separated Y section of the base strip by stitching or the like.

5. The method'of making a luggageframe con-V sisting of providing Va form of a required shape, of temporarily securing'a base strip of xflexible material to the form, of cementing marginal portions of` a pair of opposed lbag sections to said base strip, of cementing a pairofilongitudinally alined slide fasteners to said base'strip, of cementing respective flexible strips over portions of said fasteners and said marginal portions of said bag sections, and of longitudinally separating the base strip.

, i 'JOHN RIESS. 

